A polymer electrolyte fuel cell is configured as shown in FIG. 7.
A stack 30 has a layered structure in which a plurality of fuel cell modules is connected in series. A fuel gas A and an oxygen-containing gas B are supplied to the stack 30 from the outside. Electric power, heat, and water are simultaneously created by inducing an electrochemical reaction of the gases. Electric power generated at the stack 30 is retrieved via an electric output section 41.
Each fuel cell module of the stack 30 is formed by centrally-placing and sandwiching an electrolyte membrane electrode assembly 42 between two separators 43a and 43b, as shown FIG. 8. As also shown in FIG. 9E, the electrolyte membrane electrode assembly 42 is configured such that the outer periphery of a polymer electrolyte membrane 44 is supported by a frame body 45. An anode electrode (fuel electrode) 46a is provided on one surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane 44 and a cathode electrode (oxidant electrode) 46b on another surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane 44. A channel for the fuel gas A is formed between the separator 43a and the anode electrode (fuel electrode) 46a. A channel for the oxygen-containing gas B is formed between the separator 43b and the cathode electrode (oxidant electrode) 46b. 
The electrolyte membrane electrode assembly 42 is manufactured through processes shown in FIGS. 9A to 9E as described in Patent Document 1 and the like.
In a frame body primary molding process shown in FIG. 9A, one frame 47a to become a part of the frame body 45 is molded.
In FIG. 9B, an electrode section is formed by providing the anode electrode (fuel electrode) 46a and the cathode electrode (oxidant electrode) 46b on the polymer electrolyte membrane 44.
In FIGS. 9C and 9D, the edge of the polymer electrolyte membrane 44 exposed to the outer periphery of the electrode section is placed on the upper surface of the one frame 47a, a resin material is injected to mold another frame 47b to become part of the frame body 45, and the polymer electrolyte membrane 44 is held by the one frame 47a and the other frame 47b. 
In FIG. 9E, a resin material having a lower Young's modulus than the frames 47a and 47b is injected to mold protrusions 48a and 48b which abut and seal the adjacent fuel cell module on outer surfaces of the one frame 47a and the other frame 47b. 
In addition, Patent Documents 2 and 6 disclose setting an elastic modulus of a frame body covering a peripheral edge portion of an polymer electrolyte membrane to a range from 2000 MPa to 2000000 MPa, both inclusive, and setting an elastic modulus of an elastic body provided between the frame body and a separator to 200 MPa or less.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses an electrolyte membrane electrode assembly provided with gaskets on both surfaces of a peripheral edge portion of a polymer electrolyte membrane. Protrusions for sealing are provided on the gaskets.
Moreover, Patent Document 4 discloses a thin-film carrier gasket in which seals that are elastic bodies are integrally formed. Seals with different degrees of hardness or made from different materials are provided on front and rear surfaces of the carrier.
In addition, Patent Document 5 discloses a configuration in which seal members made from materials with different elastic moduli and formed on a peripheral edge portion of a polymer electrolyte membrane are stacked in two layers, whereby an elastic modulus of the seal member (separator side) formed above the seal member on the polymer electrolyte membrane-side is set lower than that of the seal member on the polymer electrolyte membrane-side so as to absorb the roughness of the separator.
Furthermore, in Patent Document 7, an electrolyte membrane electrode assembly is composed of a polymer electrolyte membrane and electrodes holding the polymer electrolyte membrane, wherein a peripheral edge portion is enclosed by a frame made up of an elastic body and a sealing lip is formed on the frame.
Moreover, Patent Documents 8 and 9 disclose stacking seal members made up of materials with different elastic moduli in two layers, wherein the elastic modulus of the seal member of a polymer electrolyte membrane is set higher than the elastic modulus of the separator-side seal member.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-311254
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-319461
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-95669
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-336640
Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-182639
Patent Document 6: US Patent No. 2004/0234831
Patent Document 7: US Patent No. 2007/0072045
Patent Document 8: US Patent No. 2002/0064703
Patent Document 9: US Patent No. 2002/0150810
As shown in FIGS. 9A to 9E, since the large number of molding processes results in inferior workability, a reduction in the number of molding processes is currently being demanded.
In this light, while the frame body 45 can conceivably be molded in a single molding process by setting an electrode section on a die 100 and injecting a resin material 102 from a gate 101 as shown in FIG. 10A, since the polymer electrolyte membrane 44 is a thin, flexible material, the edge of the polymer electrolyte membrane 44 becomes deflected and deformed due to the pressure applied by a resin as shown in FIG. 10B during resin injection, disadvantageously preventing a stable supporting state from being achieved.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell module requiring only a small number of molding processes and having favorable productivity, a fuel cell using the fuel cell module, and a method of manufacturing the fuel cell module.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a fuel cell module requiring only a small number of molding processes and having favorable workability and capable of attaining a stable supporting state of a polymer electrolyte membrane.